Anybody know the approximate value of a 1942 Kay Jazz Bass?

[tschera]

My grandma told me she wanted to give me the old upright bass she used to play on in the 50's and 60's because I'm now the only other musician in the family. She said she wants to get it appraised before she gives it to me. She's had a few appraisals done, but doesn't necessarily trust any of the people that have done them because apparently the prices varied by quite a lot. I understand that the value will depend on the condition, but I just need to know a ball-park range so that I can let her know what to expect, so that I can tell her what to expect and hopefully expedite this process and start learning how to play some bass. It's a Kay Jazz 3/4 bass made in 1942 that hasn't really been played since the early 70's.

 

[John Watt]

I was confident, clicking in here, thinking I knew Kay instruments, but an "old upright bass", yeah, that surprises me.

There are a lot of old Kay electric guitars kicking around, almost like Harmony, Belmont and other department store instruments.
But I've never seen an upright bass, or any other symphonic instrument. I can see why appraisals vary to such degrees.
You should check it out yourself. Determine the wood it is made of, and check out the bridge.
Take it to a professional bassist and see if he can tune it up and get some quality sounds out of it. That's value.

And please, please, more than acoustic or electric, let me encourage you to play bass.
There aren't enough bassists out there.